Malick Would Be Proud
Introducing Badlands, an exciting new label with a debut release to match its cinematic counterpart.
With the tail end of the pandemic now firmly and thankfully in our rearview, a new realm of possibility presents itself. Step forward Badlands, a brand-new imprint for 2022 with a dark, razor-edge sound reflected in its foreboding artwork and music. We caught up with the minds behind the label to talk about process challenges, the forthcoming various artists debut EP, and future plans.
Catch Badlands on Midnight Manoeuvres, Sunday 5 June 11pm - 1am.
Welcome, Badlands. How’s life on your side of the world at the moment?
BThings are really good for us right now. We’ve been really busy getting everything finalised for the launch of the label, working nonstop on upcoming releases, listening to lots of exciting music and just looking forward to kicking Badlands off properly.
A new imprint for 2022, as good a time as any post-Covid you’d think… how have you found the process? What’s changed for labels in the current climate?
BIt’s always a good time to get good music out there, so we’re not phased by the challenges. We’re just staying focussed on the art and making sure we do the best job we can of sharing it with the world. Sure there are a lot of challenges, there always has been, but everyone involved in the label has a lot of combined experience, so we’re confident we can navigate the bumpy terrain.
Who’s behind your distinctly ominous artwork and iconography?
BIt comes to us in our dreams.
What is keeping you inspired right now?
BThe dark, far-off, outer edges of the electronic music universe. A lot of talent is lurking out there.
You’re looking ahead to your first release this summer. What can we expect from the Badlands sound and featured artists?
BThe idea behind the label was to provide a home to more experimental works, that challenges our perceptions and starts new lines of creative thought. The artists we’re working with are pushing boundaries and creating well-crafted art with passion and substance. The vibe is dark, the genre is undefined.
The label launches with 'The Midnight Society Vol. 1', which is a 6-track VA featuring brand-new music from Alleged Witches, Silent Era, Midnight Manoeuvres, Krotone, Thugwidow and Blood Trust. So keep an eye out for that one. And we have a string of releases lined up after that taking us through to the end of the year.
Talk to us about your guest mix for Noods, what was the idea behind that?
BThe mix moves through a range of emotions, setting the tone for the sounds you can expect to come out from the label.
Finally, how do you usually spend midnight?
BExploring the hidden recesses of our minds.
Keep up-to-date with Badlands via SoundCloud and Instagram.
